Talking Only Me and You
by Ginabeana
Summary: Dehydrated and starving, a young lady takes a short break in the woods, unknowing that it'll cause her to land right in the lap of Daryl Dixon. Daryl/OC. Trying to make it as canon as possible.
1. On The Run

Chapter 1

Run. That one word. That's all it's been about for months. Run. Don't stop. Run. Don't look behind you. Keep going. Push. Don't think. Flee. Go.

Lily was tired. She's been shaking off a small group of infected for days, unsure if they followed her path. _Doesn't matter_, she thought to herself. _Can't stop now_.

She kept jogging through the forest, hearing the crunch of the leaves beneath her feet. Longing for a break, she doesn't dare stop, knowing she'll collapse if she doesn't keep going. She sighs, wiping the sweat off her face.

Two weeks ago she crossed the Florida border into Georgia. She's managed to collect some peaches along the way, but not much else. With no hunting experience, she's only been able to collect fruits she's found on the trek, since the stash she brought with her had gotten left behind when she got cut off by that small group. _I wish I saved that last peach,_ she grumbles to herself as she feels the ache in her stomach. Her last wedge of the fruit was gone last week. Lily's mouth watered at the thought of the succulent golden fruit.

She surprised herself by how long she's survived. An engineering student, armed with only an axe from her parents' garage, outlasted most of the folks from her hometown. She would've laughed at the situation if she was back in her college dorm a few months ago, watching a zombie movie, but now that the situation was real, all it really did was make her want to puke.

It all happened so fast, the outbreak, the evacuations, and the bombings. She hasn't come across another person since the outbreak started, not that she minded much. Even in high school and into college, Lily was always a loner. She'd rather read a book instead of hang out with all the partiers, making her more of an outcast than she was before. She sighed, thinking how it'd be nice to talk to someone other than herself, at least for a minute. Part of her wished she had been more social when she had the chance. As silly as she thought they were, she even missed the pointless social networking sites she barely used. Her mind wanders to her days sitting in her dorm with her laptop, talking to a friend from back home or curled up with a book in her lap. She sighed, erasing that thought from her mind. _Can't think like that now, girl._ _You'll just disappoint yourself._

Dehydrated and exhausted, she pushed on, knowing that stopping could be the biggest mistake of her life. Sweating profusely from the Georgia humidity, she took off her dirty sweater and tied it around her waist sloppily, not willing to stop to secure it properly. _I'm going to die if I don't get some water_, she thought, thinking how the cool liquid would go down her parched throat.

Lily scanned the area, searching and listening for potential threats. She hasn't seen an infected all day. Feeling relatively secure, she lunged herself at the base of a tree, breathing heavily from exhaustion. "I can't do this much longer," she muttered. Her constant movement over the last few days has drained every ounce of energy from her body. Enjoying her first break in a while, Lily leans her body fully against the oak, taking advantage of the shade the thick wood provides.

It seemed to all go by in a second. She didn't even feel it at first. If she weren't in so much pain, it would've seemed unreal. Lily struggled to breathe, looking down as her blood seeped through her clothes from an arrow wound in her side. Confused and in a daze, she searched the area for her predator. Too exhausted and in too much pain, she watched a figure emerge from a bush as she passed out into darkness.

* * *

Trudging through the forest on his way back to camp, Daryl listened to the sounds around him. He's been tracking this deer for days, finally getting it to go around back towards camp. Though sweaty and tired, he's enjoyed the time away from the others. He's tired of being around these people, always getting in his way and expecting the meat he brings back without thanks. The only one really worth being around is Merle. _Barely. That dick's not worth much a anythin', _he thought. If it were up to him, he'd be all on his own.

Ever since childhood, Daryl Dixon knew what it was like to be alone, and he liked it. Thrived in it. No one to take care of but himself, and he wanted to keep it that way. _Just 'cause I'm with these people don't mean I gotta look out for 'em._

Daryl stealthily moved through the thick, unkempt grass. Hearing a soft sound a few meters ahead, he paused to listen to the creature. _We're eatin' real well tonight, _he thought, knowing another dear would save him a hunting trip for a while, maybe allow them to make some jerky too_. _Inching closer, he crept as quietly and as low to ground as possible, knowing not to scare the small animal near the tree. _Fuck_, he though, _can't get a clear shot_. Taking his chances, Daryl carefully aimed his crossbow towards the creature and shot.

Moments later, a shout of pain ripped through the forest. Alarmed some walkers might hear, he approaches the creature he just shot; realizing quickly that no creature lay on the ground before him. In its place, a young woman lay, bleeding profusely from her side. Daryl stared down at her, confused for a moment, before pulling himself together. He tore away the sleeve of his shirt, and tied it around the unconscious woman's waist. _Piss. Guess I better take 'er back to camp._ Annoyed and frustrated with himself, Daryl hoisted the woman upon his shoulders and started his tread back to camp. He looked at her unconscious body as he walked. She's little, only five feet tall, if that, he assumed, and clearly hasn't eaten in a while. Her long brown hair is tangled and cakes with dirt, and, from what Daryl could tell, her delicate face is smeared with dirt and blood. Her jeans are ripped, her tank top dirty, and her sweater is ratty. "Dumb girl," he muttered. He was angry with himself for being so careless. As he continued to look at her while he walked, he became sickened with himself. _Ya dumb fuck. How could ya ruin somethin' like that? _

* * *

As Daryl approached camp, he heard a scream ring from around the corner. He gently adjusted the girl in order to reach his crossbow, preparing for what's ahead. He entered the lighter area to see part of the group with weapons aimed at him, and his half eaten deer lying on the group.

"Son of a bitch." Daryl says, while handing off the girl to Shane, gently.

"Dixon, who the-"

"That's my deer! Look at it!" He yells, kicking the corpse. " All gnawed on by this…filthy, disease-bearing, motherless, poxy bastard!"

Dale looks at him, frowning. "Calm down, son. That's not helping."  
Furious, Daryl got in his face and screamed, "What do you know 'bout it, ol' man? Ya take that stupid hat and go back ta On Golden Pond."

Daryl stepped back, grabbing the arrows from the deer. "I've been trackin' this deer for miles…. Drag it back to camp….Cook us up some venison….What do ya think? Think we can cut 'round this chewed up part right here?"  
Shane frowns, "I would not risk it." Daryl sighs.

"Well that's a damn shame. Got some squire, 'bout a dozen or so. That'll have to do."  
Before heading back, Shane stops Daryl. "What happen with this here young lady?"  
Daryl looks back at the ex-cop. "Thought the dumb girl was an animal. Shot 'er in the side. Was able to bind 'er wound, so it should heal fine."  
Shane, aggravated, glares at him. "What the hell, man? Dale, can you patch her up in the RV? She looks pretty beat up. Shouldda known better than to trust your ass out here, Dixon." Dale nods, as the group starts heading back. Daryl, on the other hand was furious. He lunged forward and grabbed at the front of Shane's shirt.

"Ya don't know what the fuck ya talking about, prick! S'not like I see ya ass up and gettin' anythin' for anyone here! Girl wouldda been dead anyway if I hadn't brought 'er back!" Shane pushed Daryl back. Jim stepped between the two as they were about to go at it.

"Knock it off, guys. Come on now, we gotta help this girl out. It's not the time for this crap." Daryl huffed, but didn't say anything in return.  
As he began walking away, Daryl noticed the decapitated walker head still biting on the ground. "Come on people, what the hell." he says, grabbing everyone's attention by aiming his crossbow and shooting the walker in the head. "Gotta be the brain. Don't ya'll know nothing?" He presses his boot into the walker's head, pulled out the bolt, and headed back to camp.

As the group approached camp, Dale and Shane placed the young woman on the bed in the RV. Shane rushed back out to talk to Daryl. Amy, who was reading a book, quickly discarded it and rusheed for the first aid kit, eyes wide. "What happened?"  
"Daryl shot the young lady by accident," Dale mumbled. He quickly cleaned her and carefully attempted to stitch the wound. Hearing the ruckus outside, Amy peers through the window, gazing upon the moment the group's been anxiously waiting for all day.

She watcheed quietly as Daryl Dixon paces back and forth, stopping to give the new guy, Rick, a death glare. "Hang on, lemme process this. Ya say ya handcuffed my brother to a roof? And ya left him there?!" Furious, he threw his string of squirrels at Rick as Shane slammed into his side. Daryl quickly pulled out his knife, swiping at Rick furiously until Shane held him in a headlock.

"You best let me go!" Daryl panted, struggling to break Shane's head lock.

"Nah. Think it's better if I don't."

"Ahhh," he growled out, "choke hold's illegal!"

"File a complaint," Shane muttered.

From the window, Amy grimaced and walked back in the bedroom to help Dale patch up the new girl.

"You think she'll be alright?" Amy asked, worry evident in her tone.

"Looks like the arrow didn't do much damage, but I'm no expert. She'll probably be fine once we get her patched up and on some pain killers."

"How do you think it happened? How do you just accidentally shoot someone?" Dale frowned at her accusing tone.

"Now, I don't know about you, young lady, but I could barely find myself in those woods. I truly think Daryl would never hurt someone on purpose. Everyone makes mistakes, even hot-headed 'rednecks,'" he chuckled.

* * *

Daryl sat in his tent for a few hours before emerging. He headed straight for the RV, not bothering to even give a look to any of the campers. He opened the door and stomped up the stairs before slamming the door shut, letting everyone know not to mess with him right now. He felt nervousness creep up through his stomach and slowly start to replace the anger as he approached the back bedroom. He slowly and carefully opened the door and peered at the sleeping woman on the bed. He sat down at the edge of the bed by her feet before looking up at her unconscious face again.

She was beautiful without the dirt and blood on her face, and it made him feel even worse for what he did.

He sighed before speaking.

"I'm really sorry 'bout this, girl. Ya never shouldda had that happen to ya," he trailed off, not really knowing what to say. He reached his rough hand up to lightly touch her bandaged side before dropping it. His tone grew angry.

"The hell ya doin' out there anyway, huh? Ya ain't got no business, stompin' through the wild'rness like that! Dumb bitch. Prolly got lost 'r somethin'."

Daryl rested his head in his hands as he softened his tone.

"Not mad at ya. Not really. Ain't mean nothin', me blamin' ya for somethin' I done."

He sighed in frustration one final time.

"Somethin' as angelic like ya don't deserve to be fucked up by someone like me."

He glanced at her sleeping figure once more before getting up and exiting the RV.

* * *

**Alright everyone! Let me know if you like the changes or not! :D**


	2. Not the Best of Friends

There was fuzziness. A feeling of unknown. Darkness.

When Lily woke up the next day, everything was a blur. Her eyelids felt heavy and stiff, her body felt sore, and she had a stinging in her side that she couldn't quite explain. Laying there confused with her eyes closed, sudden recognition came back to her, and she remembered the events of the previous day: her running, taking a break, then getting shot with an arrow. Panicking, she struggled to get passed the comfort of the bed she was laying on, opened her eyes, and got up in one swift motion only to crash down on the floor.  
"Woah there!" a voice called, "you're gonna rip open your stitches!"

Lily searched for the sound of the voice. Her eyes landed on an older man with white hair, a silly hat, and a Hawaiian style shirt that reminded her of her father. The man put one hand around her shoulder and the other on her back and hoisted her up. "I'm Dale. Nice to see you're awake, sweetheart!" The man, Dale, gently helped her onto the bed and explained to her how he stitched her up, and they were in his RV in the middle of a survivor camp. As she heard him speak, Lily realized how friendly this man was, instantly calming down a little. She looked up at him.  
"Thank you so much for everything. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't of help me," she muttered shyly, "but, I have to ask. How…how did I get here?"  
Dale observed the puzzled look on her face and patted her arm.  
"Daryl brought you here. Now, he may not seem like it, but I'm sure he's sorry for shooting you. He thought you were a deer or something when he was out hunting."  
Lily nodded her head, taking in the information. _Why wouldn't he be sorry…? He shot me!  
_Dale spoke again. "Now come on, dear. Why don't you meet the rest of the group and get something to eat? You're all skin and bones!" As Dale helped her out of the RV, Lily's thoughts wondered back to the man that saved- well, shot- her. She doesn't blame him for the accident, but she sure was curious about the whole thing.

Coming out of the RV, she squinted her eyes a bit, getting readjusted to the new lighting. She walked slowly as every step hurt her side. Stepping down, she noticed a bunch of tents littering the area. _Must be a big group…. _Dale first introduced her to a group of women working on laundry. Lori, a woman with brown hair who had a son named Carl and whose husband has just joined the group; Carol, a quiet woman with short hair and a distant look on her face, was here with her daughter Sophia and husband Ed; Jacqui, a lovely black woman who mostly kept to herself; a Spanish woman named Miranda who was here with her husband Morales and kids; and Andrea and Amy, two beautiful blonde sisters. Lily shyly muttered a "hello," feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of people here. She was never good with social introductions, and she figures the world going to hell didn't help with that either. She softly explains to them her travel from Florida into Georgia and her escape from a group of infected, which they have taken to calling Walkers, for days. As she explained her story, a group of men walked up to the woman. Rick, who Lily assumed was Lori's husband, introduced himself first, followed by Shane, Jim, Morales, T-Dog, and a young man named Glenn. She nodded to them, feeling more insecure. They welcomed her to the camp, even though the man Shane seemed a bit weary of her presence.

As the group chatted away, mentioning something about a trip back to Atlanta, Lily backed away from the commotion a bit.  
"Not much for social interaction, huh?" The boy named Glenn joked with her.  
"Not really," she admits, "never have been."  
"Eh, I understand. We all have our quirks," he smiled at her. She chatted with Glenn a bit, and decided that she didn't mind this boy talking to her. He was kind, but the group seemed to underestimate him a little. After a few minutes, Lily's mind wandered back to the man that saved her.  
"Glenn? Do you know where Daryl is?" she asked.  
"What?" he asked in disbelief. "Why would you wanna know where Dixon is? You gotta death sentence?" Lily was taken aback at his statement. Was this Daryl Dixon really that bad?  
"I just wanted to thank him for bringing me back to the camp," she muttered. Glenn sighed.  
"Alright. He's over there. Didn't say I didn't warn you."  
Lily stared at the spot where the boy pointed. A little ways away from camp, she spotted a man sitting on a log and doing what appears to be gutting some squirrel. _Pull yourself together, you big lump! _she yelled to herself. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly made her way over to Daryl. As she approached him, she stared at his face, memorizing the creases near his eyes and his very masculine facial structure. She stopped a few steps away from the log when his rough voice suddenly called out, "Whadda ya' want, girl?"  
Taken aback, Lily cleared her throat, attempting to push the nervousness out of her voice. "W-Well, I, uh-"  
"I don' got all day, yah hear? What you botherin' me fo'?"  
_Get it together!_ "Well, I just wanted to say…thanks. For bringing me back here and stuff, I guess." Lily tilted her eyes to the squirrel. She couldn't look up at the intimidating older man.

"Fine. Jus' stay outta my way next time, girl."  
She suddenly looked up at him. "Uh. What? Excuse me? Me, in your way? You're the one who shot me, you loon!" Daryl's body tightened up before he suddenly got up and yanked Lily to him roughly by her forearm. He glared down at her.  
"Listen up, lady. I don' let no body talk to me like that, let alone some lil' girl! Next time you go an' get yourself lost, don' 'spect me to come save your sorry ass!" Daryl flung her arm to the side as he watched her stumble back. He gave her one last hard stare before walking off towards Rick to ask when they're heading out.  
Lily was embarrassed as she hoisted herself up gently, well aware that the group overheard their discussion. Glenn quickly rushed over to help her up.  
"I didn't wanna say I told you so," he muttered as he helped her. "Why don't you go in the RV for a while? You don't want to make your injury worse."  
"I'm fine!" she snapped. Seeing the look on Glenn's face, she immediately regretted it. "I-I'm sorry, Glenn. He just got me all riled up."  
Glenn patted her back. "It's cool. He pisses everyone off sometimes. He's always been a bit of a grump. Just stay away from him."

Lily sighed, glancing back to Daryl quickly, before heading back into the RV. She was upset that he was so rude for no reason. She was upset that he didn't feel bad for shooting her. More than anything, she was upset that she didn't hate him for what he did. Setting into the back room, Lily eyed the bed and collapsed onto the pillow.

When Lily awoke from her nap, she decided to go out and help the group. She felt guilty for lying around all day and not pulling her own weight. She was still concerned over the situation though. Would they make her leave? Did she want to leave? Did she even want to stay? Lily decided she'd bring it up with someone later.

When she left the Winnebago, she jumped at the sound of a voice from atop the vehicle. "Hey there sleepyhead! Feeling any better?"  
She squinted her eyes and looked up at Dale. "Much better! Uh, do you know where I can find Glenn?" She peered around the camp but couldn't seem to spot him.  
"He went with Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog on a run to Atlanta. Should be back in a few hours." Lily nodded and walked away, frowning slightly. She didn't know much about Atlanta, but if it was anything like the cities she saw in Florida, those men must be crazy to go. She pushed the thoughts away from her as she headed over to help Carol and Lori hang clothes. Both women looked up and smiled.  
"I'm sorry I've slept all day," she muttered quietly, "Can I help you with the laundry?"  
"Don't worry about it. "Lori said and Carol nodded. "Come on. We'd love a little girl talk!" Lily scooped a bunch of clothes in her hand, flung a few on her shoulder, and began pinning up some pants.  
"So," Lori started, "We…overheard…earlier. You alright? Dixon can be pretty rough sometimes."  
"Yeah, I'm okay," she sighed," I've just never had someone get in my face like that before. It's upsetting, but there isn't much I can do to fix it." Truth was, she was pissed. Lily had every intention of marching over to Dixon's tent and giving him a piece of her mind, but she'd have to wait until they all got back from Atlanta.  
Carol chuckled a bit, "You know, that's the most that man has said to anyone here without pulling a knife out."  
Lori tapped her arm. "You never know, maybe he'll lighten up a little bit. Mean as a snake, that one. Maybe he'll stop biting soon."  
Lori and Carol laughed, while Lily's thoughts drifted. Was Daryl Dixon always so mean? Why? Normally she always tried hard to stay out of people's way as long as they stayed out hers, but something drew the girl to that rude, racist, and dirty man. He fascinated her. She has never been a weak person at all, but around that man she turns into a big jello mold. It confused, angered, and terrified her. She always had a comeback when some idiot make a remark towards her, but when he grabbed her like that earlier, her heart raced. He pissed her off, yet she wanted to get to know him. He scared her, yet she was drawn to him. Lily scoffed; trying to put the thoughts of Daryl Dixon behind her.

After the ladies finished chores around camp, everyone sat by the fire, eating the delicious fish that Andrea and Amy caught that afternoon. Lily savored the fish. She couldn't remember have such a great meal in such a long time. For the first time in a while, she felt accepted, even if it was only temporary. She listened to all their stories and even giggled a little at Amy's silliness. Everything was all right for once, and she liked it.

The group joked along for hours, having a great time. When Amy got up to go to the bathroom, Andrea leaned over and showed Lily the mermaid necklace she picked up on the last run.  
"She'll love it!" Lily whispered encouragingly. Amy was lucky to have someone care about her so much. Amy shouted something about toilet paper from the distance, and Andrea quickly tucked the necklace away, winking at Lily.

Lily took another bite of the delicious fish before dropping it on the ground in surprise. The group turned to the RV, suddenly alert, as Amy shrieked loudly, a walker biting into her arm. More screams emerged from the group as they saw more infected emerge from the surrounding area. Lily grabbed her axe from her belt and held in close in fear. The group broke off, mothers covering their children and trying to flee the scene as Shane, Morales, and Dale started to shoot. Andrea made a dash for Amy. Coming up beside her, Lily let out a small scream and swung the blade into a walker's head. In the panic, she heard Shane scream "head to the RV!" and started to move in that direction. Running up to it, she tripped on a log, sending her face crashing into the dirt. She quickly got up and reached for her axe that landed a few feet away. Before she could stand, she felt something grab onto her foot. She screamed as a walker started to bite through her boot. She wiggled around, trying to push it off as she reached for her axe. As the walker started to crawl onto her legs, she let out another scream trying desperate to reach her weapon. As the walker opened its mouth to bite her thigh, an arrow implanted itself into the creature's head. She panted, shoving the corpse off her body and finally being able to reach her weapon. As she looked up, she saw the very intimidating Daryl Dixon towering over her. Her heart stopped.

He held out a hand. "You gonna take a nap there or what? I don' got all day." She grabbed his hand and let him help hoist her up. Looking around, she saw Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog looking around for any other infected.

Once they were sure everything calmed down, the group, excluding Andrea, gathered near the fire. Still a little frightened, Lily subconsciously grabbed onto the back of Daryl's shirt as the group started talking. They decided to bury their dead and burn the rest. Finally noticing her hand, Lily blushed and quickly retreated her arm. Daryl gave her a sideways glance. The group mourned and started picking up the remains of their once safe camp.

As Lily started walking away to help, she felt a sudden grip on her arm. She turned around only to see Daryl staring at her intently. "Hey lil' girl," he muttered. "You gotta name?"  
She blushed. "Lily. I'm Lily." She looked away. "Thanks for helping me, again. It wasn't your fault this time."  
Daryl glared at her. "You better watch how you run that mouth, lil' girl. It's gonna keep getting' you into trouble with me." He released her arm and walked away, leaving her with a racing heart. Before disappearing completely, he turned around one more time. "Don't go wanderin' off now, Lily. I ain't got time to be chasin' after lil' girls." Because she could make her angry comeback, Dixon already left, heading over to help with the bodies.


	3. Keep Calm, and Carry On

Lily wandered around camp, trying desperately to help out. Rick had told her not to do much heavy lifting with those stitches still in her side, so she went around to everyone in camp, offering what little help she could give. She sat with Carol for a while and held her hand, helped Lori with some clothes, checked up on Andrea, and gave everyone who was working some water. As much as she felt like she was just bothering everyone, she refused to just sit and do nothing. She knew she hadn't done much since she's been here. She already felt so self-conscious since she really didn't have the weapon skills that everyone else had. She could do the basics like cooking and cleaning, but besides that, Lily felt desperately lost.

"Maybe one day I'll be able to put some of that expensive college stuff to work," she mumbled to herself.

Eventually, she took to taking care of Carl and Sophia, much to the appreciation of their mothers. She sighed, wishing she wasn't so useless, wishing she could do more to help, but she knew in her heart that she loved playing with those kids more than anything.

Lily sat with the kids, teaching them how to play rummy. She let Carl deal out the hands, knowing it made him feel important, as she kept talking about her funny childhood memories, earning a giggle from Sophia every once in a while.

"My momma put me in time-out for hours after I pulled all the film from the VHS tapes! Not to mention the time I ended up with half a paint set on my bedroom carpet rather than on the canvas…." Carl interrupted her. "What's a VHS tape?"

Lily rolled her eyes and Sophia giggled at her. "It's sort of like a fat, annoying version of a DVD. Anyway, then I spilled about four gallons of oil all over the kitchen floor!"

After an hour, Lily grabbed Sophia's hand (Carl didn't want to look like a baby), and led them back to their parents. Just as they got closer to the RV, she heard the argument going on. Daryl was pulling up Jim's shirt, as Shane held him still, to reveal a nasty looking bite to Jim's side. Panic rushed through Lily as she pulled the kids a little closer to her. She attempted to comfort them until Lori and Carol made their way over, giving her their smiles of appreciation.

She suddenly turns back to the scene to see a hotheaded Daryl just about to smash Jim's head in with a pick ax as Rick held his gun to the man's head.

"We don't kill the living," Rick muttered darkly. Frustration radiated off of Daryl.

"That's funny," Daryl spit out," Comin' from a man who just put a _gun _to my head."

The scene heated up from there. Rick urged the group to go to the CDC, thinking there might be a cure. Shane, on the other hand, thought their best chances were on Fort Benning, nearly 100 miles away. She turned to see the distressed faces of the group. Obviously they believed the same thing she did; Fort Benning was too risky as they were low on supplies and fuel, but the CDC was much too close to the city for their liking. The group eventually decided on the CDC in hopes there might be a cure for Jim.

* * *

As the sun started to set, the group gathered on top of the hill to mourn and bury their dead. Lily watched Andrea struggle to put Amy's body in hole. She wanted to run over and help the grieving sister, but she knew this was something she had to do on her own. Instead, she just stared at her feet as people uttered a few words in remembrance. She casually lifted her head to peer around the group. It was hard for her to take. She stared into the grieving faces of the people that had been so kind to her and took her in. She stared at the tear-streaked faces, feeling the agony grow in the pit of her own stomach. She just wished she had the power to take the pain away. As the group started to disperse, she glanced up at Daryl, noticing him staring at her. He nodded at her once, and descended the hill like everyone else.

Knowing almost everyone didn't have the energy or will to do anything, she told Lori and Carol to relax and that she would work on dinner tonight. The women gave her a grateful look as they headed to be with their families.

Lily headed over to the supply tent and grabbed a few cans of beans, sighing at the ridiculously small pile that now sat in the tent. As she started to get the fire going, she dumbed the beans into a big cook pot and tried to get her mind off the grieving and suffering people around her. She began stirring the beans as the pot slowly warmed up. Eventually, she decided she really needed to work up the courage to ask Daryl for meat. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly made her way over to his little, secluded camping area.

As she approached, she watched him whittle away at some sticks. Daryl lifted his head briefly as she approached, putting it down a second later.

She swallowed. "Daryl?" she asked softly, shyly peering at the older man.

He glanced at her again. "Whadda ya want, girl?" _Oh. Back to girl again_. She sighed.

"I was wondering if, um, you have any leftover meat from your last hunt. I wanted to get good bit of food into everyone, seeing as we'll be in for some tough travelling tomorrow." She continued to peer at him until he nudged his foot to hit a bucket full of salted squirrel meat. Lily tried not to gag.

"Take it al'ready. 'Sno use in another day or two. 'Bout to go bad if it ain't cooked soon."

Lily quickly bent down next to him and took the handle of the heavy bucket. She looked back at him with sincere eyes, making him uncomfortable.  
"What the fuck else do ya want?" he sneered at her. Lily flinched a little, but didn't back away.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for you know, hunting. I know it must be hard work, and you skin them all yourself. I don't really know if anyone else has noticed it though, but I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate it." She gave him a shy smile.

Uncomfortable with her little speech, Daryl ushered her away from his camp. "Git goin' now, girl. And you better not fuck up my catch!"

Lily nodded at him and waddled away with the bucket of meat.

* * *

Daryl was deep in though, dumbfounded by what happened. Not one of them others thanked him for what he did, and it drove him crazy. '_Least the dumb girl had the decency, unlike these other fucking assholes. _He was still pissed at them for what they did to Merle. Sure, his brother was a fucking dickface, but no man deserved what they did to him. But the girl, Lily, she's the only one innocent in the whole thing, besides the kids. Heck, it was almost as if she was a kid. _'Bout as useless as one_, he snorted. He didn't understand how one woman could get into so much trouble. _She don't even know how to defend herself right_. Daryl sighed. As much as he hated being around everyone, he just felt the need to be near her. He didn't want to be next her all the time, but he felt these primal urges start to surface. Daryl felt protective over the young lady. There was something so…naïve and sincere and innocent about her. He noticed how small she was, standing about a foot under him in height. She looked delicate, with her paler skin and glossy brown hair, even when it was covered in sweat and filth, and her little round nose and rosy cheeks. He knew deep down that he thought she was beautiful, but he tried his best to push those thoughts away from his head. _She ain't no floosy from back home,_ he thought. She didn't deserve to have such lucid thoughts thought about her. Even with her tiny ass waist and big, wide hips…  
"Goddamn it, ya pussy. Knock this fucking shit off right now," he scolded himself.

As Daryl sat thinking about her, he noticed everyone gathered around the fire she made, eating the stew and beans she cooked up. She briefly heard the comments about her tasty dish, and his stomach started to grumble as he realized how hungry he was. He refused to go up there and be around those people though, no matter how hungry. He sat and continued to whittle some more bolts. After a few minutes had passed, he noticed the soft sound of footstep approaching. He lifted his head, about to bitch at whoever decided to bother him today. He stopped himself when he saw it was Lily, trudging over to him with a big plate in her hands. He saw the soft blush creep up her cheeks as her big eyes stared at him.  
"Um, Daryl? I thought you'd be hungry, and when I didn't see you come get some food, I decided to make you a plate. I hope you like it…," she trailed off, slowly handing him the plate. He nodded his head, taking the plate and began scarfing down the stew immediately. Daryl saw her smile softly, and as she turned to leave, he uttered a quick, "tastes good, girl. Maybe ya should be cookin' more often. Git ya to do somethin' useful at least."

She turned back to him and blushed before nodding her head and strolling away to help clean up the plates.

* * *

**As always, reviews are super appreciated! I really do love reading all the reviews, so if you have any suggestions, feedback, or even if you just want to say hi, please please please contact me! I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season, and expect more from in in the next few days!**  
**With Love,**

**Gina**


	4. Road Trip of the Dead

The next morning was absolutely hectic. All the survivors were quickly packing up their belongings for the long trip ahead of them, careful not to leave anything behind. As unsure about their destination as they were, the group knew they needed to move on and leave the area.

Lily tried to wipe the sleepiness out of her eyes. She could barely sleep at all last night between the soft crying going on all around camp and the nightmares of her parents' deaths plaguing her mind every time she dozed off. If she could see her appearance in a mirror, she's sure her eyes would be red. She'd spent all morning trying to help people pack up their things, but they all politely told her they were fine. Lily knew not to think too much on the subject. She knew people still needed time to think and to spend with their families. She tried not to dwell on the loneliness that started to swell up in her heart at the thought of it.

Sighing, she headed over to her fellow camp members and distributed the laundry she'd been folding. She eventually went over to the Grimes' family, eager to see how Carl was holding up after last night. Lori smiled and took the clothes out of her hands. Going over to Carl, Lily bent down slightly and flicked his nose with the tip of her finger, causing him to scrunch up his face while she let out a laugh. Rick came over to the pair.

"I sure do appreciate you grabbin' all our stuff over there," Rick told her. Lily smiled softly.

"Oh, it's no problem at all, Rick, really. I just wish I could be more help around here, after everything your group has done for me. Do you know when we'll be heading out today?" Lily subconsciously touched her side, reminding herself to take the stitches out soon.

"You've done enough, young lady. That's for sure. 'Specially with looking after Carl and all," he looked at his son for a moment. "I'd like for us to head out as soon as we can. The quicker we get there, the better shape we'll be in."

"Oh, why don't I fix up something quick then! I'm sure traveling would be a lot smoother if everyone had a little something to eat. There isn't much though…." She trailed off quietly.

Rick sighed, distress written all over his face. "I know. We'll figure something out. We gotta." Lily nodded to Rick and smiled at Carl quickly before heading over to their makeshift kitchen area.

She gathered everything she'd need to make the meal for the group and laid it on the ground before her. Lily tried not to let her worried thoughts show as she began to heat up the stew from last night. She knew the stew and the two cans of beans she was going to heat up was the last of their food, and she knew by the look on his face that Rick knew it too. If they got to the CDC and there wasn't any help, she wouldn't know what to do. Despite not being with them for long, Lily refused to let this group suffer. They were her saviors, after all, and she vowed herself that she'd try her best to help the group survive.

Lily shoveled out a good amount of stew into each bowl before handing them out to the group as they approached her. Everyone seemed to be relaxing a little bit with the food, even Andrea, and that brought a little smile to Lily's face. Jacquie said even Jim managed to get some of it down. As she turned to grab her own bowl, she frowned slightly. Someone didn't come get their food and she knew exactly who it had been. She quickly grabbed both bowls before going over to the parked cars. As she approached, she saw Daryl with a wrench in his hand and his head stuck under the hood of his truck.

"Daryl?" she called out softly. He pulled himself from his truck before wiping the sweat from his forehead. She looked at his sweaty and grease covered face, thinking he still looked wonderful covered in gunk. He stuck the wrench in his back pocket before grabbing the bowl from her hand. He nodded at her, and she smiled back. They both ate their food in silence.

* * *

Rick gathered the group before departure, running everyone through basic protocol. Lily was too tired to pay attention. She figured someone would let her hitch a ride, even if it was Shane. She stared at the ground, her mind wandering, until Morales spoke up.  
"We're not going."

Everyone was shocked. Rick and Shane tried to explain how no one would cover them if they went out on their own, but Morales explained they had family in Birmingham that they wanted to try to find. Everyone upset about seeing them go, the group quickly said their good-byes as Rick handed them a gun and some ammo. Lily heard Daryl mutter from the back "They'll be dead 'fore they git ta use up that ammo. Damn shame." Lily frowned but quickly brushed it off to wave goodbye to the family.

Once everyone knew the caravan order and the radio station to stay on, they began piling into vehicles. Lily turned towards the Winnebago and was about to head up the steps before she was yanked by her arm and fell head first into someone's chest. She steadied herself and looked up at her captor only to see a beautiful pair of blue eyes. Daryl started dragging her over to his truck.

"Ya can ride with me. Prolly all filled up in the RV anyway with all that cryin' and sick in there." Lily was shocked but nodded her head. She let Daryl lead her to his truck until she heard a little voice call out to her a couple of cars ahead.

"Oh! I'll be right back!" she told Daryl as she sprinted over to Carol's Cherokee. She looked over to where she heard the little voice and spotted Sophia in the back seat.

"Lily, can you ride with me? Please? I don't like long car rides," Sophia told her with big eyes. Lily practically melted on the spot.

"Sophia, I'm gonna ride with Mr. Daryl, okay? There won't be room for my big butt in the back!" she laughed. She gave Sophia a quick hug.

"Be good for your momma, okay? I don't like long car rides either, but if she says you were good, I'll braid your hair for you when we get all settled in, okay?"  
Sophia agreed and gave her once last hug.

Lily rushed back to Daryl's truck and hoisted herself up in the passenger's seat.

"The fuck took ya so long, girl?" Daryl growled. Lily blushed a bit.

"Sorry. I had to promise Sophia that I'd braid her hair so she'd have something to look forward to after the long car ride." Daryl didn't say anything for a while.

"S'nice of ya. Ya don't need to be lookin' after anyone's kid," she heard him say.

"I just really like doing it. I've always loved being around kids, I guess." She heard Daryl grunt in return before pulling off the roadside. _This is gonna be a long ride._

* * *

Lily stared out the window as the caravan rolled on, trying not the have a heart attack over the current situation. She wasn't afraid of Daryl at all, but he certainly made her nervous like no man has ever done. He was one intimidating man to look at. Standing a foot taller than her with his muscular frame and brownish, messy hair, Daryl Dixon definitely wasn't an eyesore. In fact, she knew she analyzed him more than anyone else. He was rough, dirty, and definitely an asshole sometimes, and yet lately he seemed to be the one to get her out of sticky situations. Although she'd probably never admit it to anyone, Lily knew a part of her was glad that he shot her and brought her back to his camp with all these wonderful people. When Daryl spoke suddenly, she couldn't help but jump a little in her seat.

"I uh, well. I never really said nothin' 'bout shootin' ya and all," he muttered.

Lily was startled. "Oh! I mean, you didn't mean to, right? And I didn't die or anything…."Daryl scowled at her briefly before putting his eyes back on the road.

"S'not the point, girl. Point is I shot ya, and I don't even bother takin' care of ya? S'not right by me. Don't matter if ya alive now and annoyin' as ever. " Lily rolled her eyes a bit at that.

"I really do forgive you, Daryl," she said sincerely. "I know you wouldn't harm me on purpose. You even brought me back to camp. You've done right by me." Daryl wasn't taking any of that.

"Don't care if ya think it's right. Ya don't harm a woman, accident or not. 'S why Ed had it comin' to 'im." Lily briefly thought back to Carol and mentally shuddered at the slight bruises she used to see on her arms.

"Daryl…" he cut her off.

"Shut up. S' not right. I gotta take care a ya now like I shouldda before."

Lily was stunned into silence. _The hell just came out of his mouth? _She had no idea how to respond, so she just relaxed a little in the seat of his truck and stared out the window. She didn't know how to feel. Sure, she couldn't doubt that she felt butterflies in her stomach at the promise given by the handsome man next to her, but deep down she couldn't help but doubt that he cared for her in any way. _He's not my family, and I'm certainly not his._ _He's just too nice deep down to get rid of me._ Lily tried not to let tears streak down her face. Instead, she turned her head and gazed at the flowers that littered the fields the caravan passed. It was the first beautiful sight she'd seen in a long time.

"Look at all those flowers,"she whispered softly. Daryl glanced out her window briefly before going back to the road. He grunted.

"What 'bout 'em?" Lily turned to him and smiled.

"It's funny, isn't it? The world around them is completely destroyed, and yet these little plants just go on as if nothing happened. " She looked up to see the corner of his mouth turned slightly upwards.

"We got no idea what's waitin' for us, we're just 'bout outta food, we got a fuckin' sick guy in the RV, and ya are starin' out the window pickin' daisies in ya head? Geez, lil girl," he joked with her lightly and she giggled.

"I guess you are right, Mr. Dixon, but as far as I'm concerned, flowers will always be on my mind, even if it's for a second. If there's one thing I miss, it's helping my momma plant roses in our garden at home." She gave a sad smile at the distant memory.

Daryl scoffed. "Well, git ya mind outta the flower patch for a bit, girl. I know ya didn't git no sleep last night. Try now, so I can focus on the road and not ya mouth always runnin'."

Lily scrunched her face for a second before nodding her head. She knew he was right, and truth be told, she was exhausted. She let her head rest against the seat as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Daryl briefly took his eyes off the road to look at the young woman resting in his truck. He's never had a woman in his truck before, let alone one as beautiful and pure as this one. Even in her sleep, he could see the weariness on her angelic face. He's never come across a person who seemed so concern with a group of strangers, yet no one really seemed all too concerned about her. He still couldn't believe how kind she was to Carol's little girl. Most of the adults just pass on Rick's kid and the girl to whoever will take them. But she, Lily, always seemed happy to be with them.

He was intriqued by her. He knew she was intelligent. He heard from some of the woman that she's an engineer. She was quiet, which he liked a lot. She wasn't always asking him stuff and bothering him. He knew she couldn't use a weapon, that much was clear, and he found himself getting angry at her for that. At least she could use that axe of hers to some extent, and he realized it was enough for him at the moment. _She's mine ta look after now. Shouldda done it from the start._ _Ain't right what I did._

Daryl knew he wasn't a people person. He knew he wasn't much of a person at all. All his life he's been told he wasn't worth anything and that he should only be looking out for himself. But deep down, Daryl knew he didn't want to be like his daddy and Merle. He knew he wouldn't amount to much, but maybe he could help someone else who amounted to something. He wanted to help Lily. He wanted to protect her and shield her from the shithole around them. He knew he couldn't, but he knew he'd try anyway.

Normally he'd stay away from all these people. Hell, he shouldda left when Merle was abandoned, but he couldn't bring himself to. He had to stay for her. He's never been responsible for anyone but himself. The only times where he'd been close to taking care of someone were those nights where Merle was kicked out of the bar and had to have Daryl come and pick him up. But when he saw her passed out on the ground, all dehydrated and dirty, he knew he couldn't just forget about her. She deserved to be taken care of properly.

Sometimes when he'd sneak a few glances at her around camp, she'd remind him of a rabbit. She was fast, always moving from one activity to another, trying to help whoever needed it. She'd stare up at people with big, wide eyes that no one could resist, especially not him. He liked how soft her hair looked when it was blowing in the wind. Even though Daryl knew Merle would think he was being a pussy for thinking stuff like this, he found he couldn't help himself. He felt like a predator. He wanted to keep her all to himself. He wanted to protect her from everything, even himself.

* * *

Lily awoke from her dreamless sleep, feeling completely refreshed. She knew how much she needed the nap and was thankful for Daryl suggesting it. She glanced up at him, peering at the cigarette in his hand. He saw her stare.

"What do ya want?"

"Where'd you get that cigarette?" she asked, a curious expression on her face. He tapped the back of his hand on the side of his door near a small compartment space.

"Can I have one?"

It was silent for a moment when Daryl glanced back and forth between her and the road.

"Ya ain't needin' one."

"But I want one."

"Why?"

"Because I like the taste of menthol, and it's relaxing."

"No."

"Please, Daryl?"

"It's my stash, girl. Ya ain't getting' one." Lily frowned, but quietly went back to looking out the window. Daryl stared at her with a smirk on his face. He flicked the ashes off the cigarette before tapping her arm. She looked at him, and then at the cigarette he was offering her. She smiled lightly before grabbing it and inhaling deeply. She savored the minty taste and tried not to blush, thinking how Daryl's mouth had been on that cigarette. She handed it back to him.

Lily smiled. That nap and cigarette hit had put her in a great mood for once, and she decided she'd enjoy it while she had the time. She grabbed the manual crank on the door of the truck and rolled the window down. She leaned over slightly, tilting her face out the window and smiling into the Georgia breeze.

Daryl watched in amusement as her hair wildly started whipping around in the truck. He couldn't deny it anymore, not matter how much he tried. She looked so free and beautiful with that soft smile on her face. Even those goddamn walkers couldn't ruin this moment.

Daryl hit his cigarette again, trying not to grin. Turns out he didn't mind sharing that much.

* * *

**Alright guys. I tried to do a little more character development in this character. My issue with Daryl is that I know he's a really good guy, and I want him to express that on the inside, but I want him to keep his "Season 1 hostility" on the outside. That's why he hasn't really been interacting/openly caring with the protagonist and such yet. I want to take things slow, but not like, painfully slow. SO YEAH.**  
**I'm glad the apocalypse didn't hit, otherwise I'd never know what happened in the rest of Season 3.**

**Big shout out to Glen Mazzara and all of the amazing work he has done for the show! He will be missed, but I wish him the best of luck in his new projects!**  
**I hope everyone's holidays have been wonderful. Keep reviewing and telling me junk, guys! I really do read/love all of them! :D**


	5. Message from Author

Hey guys! I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm making significant changes to the first four chapters. I haven't been totally happy with the work I've been putting out, and with a push from some of my wonderful reviewers, I've decided to just make some additions to the story to clarify some points. As mentioned in the story summary, I want to make it as Canon as possible, so I'm doing some stuff to the story to make it a little more obvious that Daryl is concerned with my character. If you want to reread the chapters, please feel free, and let me know how you feel about the changes!

Besides the changes, I'm hoping to push out at least another chapter before Christmas, but definitely at least two chapters by Friday.

Much love,

Gina


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